Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-06-29
THE CHARGE At cnIcxAMAueA.
A Statement OF What The soldiers Did
for Themselyes without Orders.

a Statement Of What the soldiers Did
for Themselves without Orders.
One Of the splendid battles Of the wal
was that Of Chattanooga. In The Century
Gen. Fullerton tells the story Of the firing
of the signal guns to take the rifle pits at
the base OF the ridge occupied by Bragg,
and the rush OF 10000 men. The general
says: ''The enemy were thrown into con-
fusion and took precipitate flight up the
ridge" He adds; Many prisoners and a
large number Of small arms were cap
tured." And now follows a clear state
meut Of what the soldiers did for them
selyes-a most instructive and brilliant
passage:
''The order Of the commanding general
had now been fully and most successfully
carried out. But II did not go far enough
to satisfy these brave men, who thought
the time had come to finish the battle Of
Chickamauga. There was a halt Of but
a few minutes, to take breath and to re-
form the lines; then, with q sudden i'm
pulse, all started up the side Of the ridge.
Not a commanding officer had given the
order TO advance. The men who carried
the muskets had taken the matter into
their own hands, had moved of their own
accord. Officers, catching their spirit,
first followed, then led. There was no
thought Of protecting TANKS, though the
enemy's line could be seen stretching be-
yond on either side; there was no thought
of support or reserves.
GAS o as this movement was seen
from Orchard Knob Grant quickly turned
to Thomas, who stood by his side, and 1
heard him angrily say; Thomas, who or
dered those men up the ridgef' Thomas
replied in his usual slow, quiet manner:
4 don't know; I did not Then, address
ing Gen. Gordon Granger, he said: Did
you order them up, Granger'' No. said
Granger; they started up without orders.
When those fellows get started all hell
can't stop them Gen. Grant said ONE
thing to the effect that somebody would
suffer II it did not turn out well, and then,
turning round, s~toically watched the
ridge. He CAV no further orders.
"As soon as Granger had replied to
Thomas he turned to me, his chief Of
staff, and said: Ride at once to Wood and
then to Sheridan and ask them II they or
dered their men up the ridge, and tell
them, If they can take 1t, to push ahead
- u "uS houhtihk oiahSei ddueh' 10
hot over there, and you may not get
through. l shall send Capt. Avery to
Sheridan, and other officers after both Of
you As fast as my horse could carry
me l rode first to Gen. Wood and delivered
the message. Il didn't order them up
said Wood; they started up on their own
account, and they are going up, too. Tell
Granger, If we are supported, We will take
and hold the ridgeI' As soon a. l reached
Gen. Wood, Capt. Avery got TO Gen.
Sheridan aud delivered his message. i
didn't order them up said Sheridan,
but we are going to take the ridge He
then asked Avery for his flask and waved
it at a group Of Confederate officers stand
ing just in front Of Bragg's headquarters
with the salutation, Here's at your At
once two guns-the Lady Breckenridge
and the Lady Buckner-in front Of
Bragg's headquarters were fired at Sheri-
dan and the group Of officers about him.
One shell struck 30 near as to throw dirt
over Sheridan end Avery. 'Ah,' said the
general, that is ungenerous; / shall take
those guns for that and he did, and q
good many more"